Interview

Bears are making the news this week. An angry mama bear attacked and killed two Palestinian militants taking a snack break in her den in Kashmir. In Eastern Germany, three bears in captivity are losing their hair–one is almost completely bald. And, of course, this morning, bears of a different sort–the Stearns kind–were taken to task in a Brooklyn courtroom.

What do bears have to do with music? Unclear, but it would be impossible not to notice the glut of bands with the word "bear" in their name. It's not quite as rampant as the use of "black" or "crystal" or, even worse, "wolf," but it's a bona fide trend. Of course, if the bears are taking over, it seems a better bet to join them, rather than fight:

The Dance Art Bears

Labyrinth Art Bears

Absinthe Party Minus the Bear

Get Me Naked Minus the Bear

Ponytail Panda Bear

Carrots Panda Bear

Knife Grizzly Bear

Beast in Peace Bear in Heaven

Lovesick Teenagers Bear in Heaven

Long Lean Queen Bear Hands